SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Mayoral candidate Pat Hogan and an affiliated group of challengers running for city council and city court judge filed petitions this morning to compete against the Democratic Party's chosen candidates in a September primary.

Incumbent councilors-at-large Jean Kessner and Lance Denno and city court judge candidate Lou Levine joined Hogan to submit signatures today at the Onondaga County Board of Elections.

Hogan submitted roughly 2,650 signatures, far more than the number required to get on the ballot. Election law requires Democrats to collect 1,000 valid signatures from voters for a city-wide race.

Alfonso Davis, another Democrat who intends to run against incumbent Mayor Stephanie Miner, also submitted petitions today, paving the way for a three-way race in the primary on Sept.10. Davis said he turned in a little more than 1,700 signatures, less than he had aimed for but more than the 1,000 required to get on the ballot.

Davis ran against Miner in a four-way primary in 2009 and lost, finishing third. But Davis said four years of Miner's administration have soured voters on her leadership, which he said has not improved the quality of life in Syracuse's poorest neighborhoods.

Davis said he plans to run a campaign that emphasizes his willingness to cooperate with state leaders to solve Syracuse's fiscal problems, and his commitment to raise the quality of life in city neighborhoods.

Hogan, who announced his primary campaign a month ago, said he assembled a "volunteer army" of about 50 people to collect signatures. Among others, Hogan's supporters included firefighters and former participants at the Ida Benderson Senior Center, he said. Miner angered many firefighters when she cut staffing levels this year, and stirred controversy when she closed the Benderson center in 2011.

Hogan, Denno, Kessner and Levine also helped each other gather petitions. As city councilors, Hogan, Denno and Kessner have each incurred the wrath of Miner at times by not supporting her proposals.

Denno and Kessner are running to defend their at-large council seats after failing to win the Syracuse Democratic Committee's support. They are running against challengers Pamela Hunter and Jeff Wright, who won the party designation with Miner's support.